My name is Bob Bowers. I work on the front lines
in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
With over two decades of surviving with this
disease, it’s a great honor to be invited back
to help kick off AIDS Walk Wisconsin 2007!
I remind myself and you, I am not a victim,
I’m not an AIDS patient, I am a survivor! Give
yourselves a huge round of applause for sharing
in my brilliant and profound reality. Your compassion
is without a doubt, our cure!
Wisconsin is a TERRIFIC state, is it not!? With
your support, Wisconsin remains TOPS in the
Nation in caring for those of us infected or
affected by HIV/AIDS. In 2006, Wisconsin had
NO babies born infected with HIV. This is an
absolute victory! Recalling a time when we had
absolutely no medications to treat HIV, we now
have over two dozen available medications and
many more in the pipeline. Our compassionate
and willful lawmakers stand with us in the fight
against AIDS. ARCW diligently ensures those
of us living with HIV/AIDS have access to care
and services. Through their compassion, we are
able to live with dignity and quality. Thank
you ARCW! My Camp Heartland family provides
a profound and enduring impact in the lives
of countless thousands of children who were
born into this very adult disease. Thank you
Neil! THANK YOU to all of our state agencies,
organizations, individuals and
supporters, who remain steadfast in this fight!
However, HIV/AIDS remains a medical and social
crisis of global proportions! On 9-11, four
jets crashed leaving NO survivors. Our nation
declared a full out war costing us countless
billions. In 2006 alone, roughly 3 million of
our brothers and sisters lost their lives to
AIDS. That is the equivalent of TWENTY fully
loaded jumbo jets crashing daily for A YEAR,
with NO survivors and NO war. Rather we refer
to such utter carnage as a cause. I despise
surrendering to AIDS as a ‘cause.’ It’s a passionate
and intensely personal FIGHT! We must put saving
human lives first and declare a full out WAR
on the greatest scourge we’ve ever known! We
must muster the political and collective will
to once and for all, END AIDS. There is no time
to relent in this fight! We must continue advocating
for the empowerment of women and for our brothers
and sisters of color. We must continually address
issues of homophobia, mental health poverty
and addiction! We must ensure that ALL persons
living with HIV/AIDS are treated with dignity
and have access to care and treatment!
Thank you for joining us in the fight! In closing;
in the words of my dear friend, the late Mike
McKinney, “You my dear friends are the true
HEROES and SHEROES in the fight against AIDS.”
Step by step, there is no doubt we are making
a profound and lasting impact! Please walk with
renewed hope, strength and pride! Walk with
love in your hearts as you reflect and honor
the over 25 million lives lost to AIDS. My friends,
never ever surrender and never ever forget!
Namaste you fearless warriors!
Da Pirate with
Dr. Gallo (L) and Dr. Montagnier (R) who
are the co-discoverers of the HIV virus. United States Conference on
AIDS-Hollywood,
Florida-2006
This was the first time ever the two have publicly
spoken together. It was indeed and honor!
Some photos courtesy
of: Melissa Winker HIVictorious congratulates
1st place entrant Collin
Burke and 2nd place
winner Kevin Julka!
Above photos from the
awards ceremony at James
Madison Memorial High
School on November 14,
2007! Thank you to ALL
the wonderful teachers,
staff and awesome students
for your participation
in our heartfelt and
passionate undertaking!
Your compassion and
commitment are deeply
appreciated. You are
all winners in our eyes!
Thanks
to the generous support of the Greater Milwaukee
Foundation's Wisconsin AIDS Fund and the Johnson
and Pabst LGBT Humanity Fund, "What if it Were
You?" has completed round two!
View
the film trailer to the
feature length documentary
THANK YOU to Neil and the
amazing staff and admin for another incredible summer
of caring for youth affected/infected by
HIV/AIDS. I hope
you will take the time to view some wonderful photos from
my 2006 and 2007 Camp Heartland experiences in Malibu, California
and Willow River, Minnesota. There are also many links to
photos from 2005 at the top right of each page. I am deeply
inspired by the courage and conviction these
youth possess!
CLICK BANNERS
TO VIEW MANY MORE OF DA PIRATE'S PHOTOS FROM CAMP
I
have survived living with HIV/AIDS
for over two decades. I feel
so very blessed and grateful
to be alive. I guess it is true,
“that which does not kill you,
makes you stronger.” I did not
get here unaided. I’m deeply
indebted to the brave souls
who have gone before me. The
horror, devastation and undeniable
loss that we witnessed through
the 1980’s and early 1990’s
are a painful cross to bear
for many. After the loss of
dozens
of friends, my life’s work is
to advocate for my peers, and
educate about the realities
of this scourge we call
AIDS.
I do this in honor of many.
The rights, medications and
services that were put into
place through the blood,
sweat
and tears of our loved ones
throughout the 80’s and 90’s
continue to be politicized and
strained. Also, combination
therapy has spawned a great
deal of complacency and
apathy.
One doesn’t have to look far
to see the ongoing desolation
in the new millennium. Shame,
ignorance,
stigma and
homophobia
abound. Where are the unity,
heart, conviction and tenacity?
Are we so afraid to stand up
to those in power? Have we sold
out to financial gain and politics?
The time has come to end the
corporate, pharmaceutical and
political strangle-hold on HIV/AIDS.
We need to replace lip service
and status quo with harsh talk
and realities. There are countless
precious human lives at stake
here and across our globe. Can
we not place our egos, opinions
and paychecks aside and fight
united and strong for a world
free from this dreadful pandemic
called AIDS? We have industrialized
and dehumanized a very human
virus. I can only pray that
we continue to collectively
muster the courage and heart
needed in what is indeed a bittersweet
milestone in our fight.
Thank you very much for your summary of our
visits with Curt and Katie as well as the photo.
In addition, your kind words and feedback regarding
my first advocacy/lobby work is also very much
appreciated.
I would like to, in turn, express my sincere
appreciation of your leadership with ONE in
the Madison area as well as your gentle, clear
and confident leadership around the preparation
for and actual advocacy work with
Ms. Baldwin's
and Mr. Feingold's office. Your heartfelt expression
and enduring commitment to the welfare and
evolution
of all of humanity is refreshing conveyed in
way that others feel on multiple levels of their
being. Which I believe ultimately leads to an
expansion of there consciousness, mind, heart,
and soul to include a wider circle of care and
concern. You are to be acknowledged for this
unique ability and your willingness to act with
it, and to see you advocate while simultaneously
facilitating the unfolding of what is best and
most true in yourself and others.
Noble, mindful, and altruistic. Your are a model
of what is possible.
I look forward to collaborating again, in the
future.
supporters, who remain steadfast in this fight!
